The most common mistake: using hot-brew grind size or steeping too short. Cold brew needs a coarse grind (like sea salt) and a minimum 12–24 hours of steeping — this extracts sweetness and body without bitterness. You're making a concentrate, not a cup.
Pro tip: Make a coffee ice cube tray — freeze some of your cold brew into cubes and use them instead of regular ice. Your drink gets stronger as it melts, not weaker. Game-changer for hot days.
Essential — a burr grinder gives a consistent coarse grind. Blade grinders create uneven particle sizes that cause bitter, cloudy cold brew. The Baratza Encore or OXO Brew Conical Burr are excellent mid-range picks.
Essential — whole beans ground fresh give dramatically better flavour than pre-ground. Look for Brazilian or Sumatran origin. Buy 500g–1kg for regular batching.
Essential if not using a dedicated cold brew maker. Wide-mouth mason jars are perfect for steeping and storing. Glass doesn't absorb odours like plastic.
Essential for the first-pass filtering step. A stainless steel fine mesh strainer removes grounds quickly. You'll still need a paper filter for the second pass for maximum clarity.
Essential for second-pass filtering — eliminates fine sediment for a silky-smooth concentrate. Unbleached preferred to avoid any paper taste transferring.
Optional — for nitro cold brew at home. Charge finished cold brew with N2O cartridges for creamy, cafe-quality nitro. Expensive upfront but pays off fast vs. buying $7 cans.
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